Poland, Japan, Great Britain and Slovakia – this is the geography of new establishments opened by Ukrainians. Read the RAU review about which restaurants, bars and cafes our fellow countrymen have recently opened abroad.
Namelaka confectionery in Dubai
At the end of November last year, the Ukrainian confectionery Namelaka expanded into Dubai, opening its first location in the Dubai Hills Mall.
“In Dubai, we are open in a restaurant format: breakfasts, the main menu and, of course, a three-meter display case of baked sweets. We prepare sweets according to our traditional recipes, bake them fresh every morning and hand them out throughout the day,” commented Elizaveta Glotova, co-founder of Namelaka, for The Village Ukraine. The restaurant in Dubai has 100 seats and a terrace. The menu can be viewed at the link .
Let us remind you that a confectionery shop in the Namelaka café format was opened in Podol in July 2021. Previously, the Namelaka studio worked as a confectionery and made desserts to order.
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Ministry of Chebureks in Poland
On January 13 of this year, a restaurant with a single product, the Ministry of Chebureks, opened its doors in Warsaw (Poland). The establishment announced this on Instagram. The establishment is located at ul. Nowy Świat, 54/56, and will be open from 11:00 to 23:00. “We continue to move towards the main goal – to develop the culture of street food and gastronomy,” they signed a video where the co-owner of the establishment, Evgeniy Taller, eats chebureks.
Two Milk Bar establishments in Warsaw
The first restaurant of the Ukrainian cafe-confectionery Milk Bar opened its doors on October 20, 2023. Last December, a second establishment opened in the capital of Poland, which the owners opened in collaboration with the G.Bar chain of beauty salons. The new space is called GxMilk Bar. “Why make a choice when you can combine them? Here are your favorite breakfasts and desserts from Milk Bar Warsaw in collaboration with your favorite services and self-care times from G.Bar. Warsaw,” they wrote in a note on Instagram.
Drunk Cherry in London
On March 15, the first democratic bar, Drunken Cherry, opened in London at 10 Moore Street, which is part of the !Fest emotion holding. However, London did not submit to the Ukrainian establishment the first time, which closed after three months.
The closure of the bar is explained by problems with the license: “The franchisees received a restaurant license, not a bar, so they could not serve guests who ordered only drinks, and in London this is strict,” they tell the author of the telegram channel “Briefly about the ferret” in !Fest Yaroslav Druzyuk .
At the same time, the establishment notes that it remains open to cooperation in the UK and is considering proposals from potential partners for locations in London and other cities. “We are confident that we will soon find a new location and people who are just as passionate about cherry as we are. Because a glass of our tincture suits London, so no matter what, we must be together,” the team adds.
Let us remind you that Drunken Cherry in London was the 63rd establishment of the chain and the 24th outside Ukraine, and the UK was the tenth country in which the brand is present. In addition to Ukraine and Great Britain, Drunken Cherry is also represented in Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Moldova.
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Rebernia in Poland
However, failures do not stop the !Fest holding from further international expansion. So, on July 15, !Fest opened the first Reberna in the EU, in the Polish city of Lodz. Co-owner of the holding Andrei Khudo reported this on his Facebook page. “We opened the first #Rib in the EU – in the Polish city of Lodz! I believe that for guests in Poland it will be love,” he wrote .
The company implemented this project together with Polish franchisee partners. The volume of investment in the opening amounted to about 1 million euros. The company decided to keep the name of the establishment, but adapted the logo for the new foreign market. Polish Rebernia operates under the name “Rebernia. Ribs & craft beer."
The total area of Reberni in Lodz is about 1000 square meters. m along with a summer terrace. “We spent quite some time choosing the premises, and we hope that the first Rebernya outside Ukraine will be another positive case in distributing our projects abroad,” said Taras Maselko , head of the PR department of !Fest.
“Entering foreign markets with a new project is always a greater risk,” says Maselko, “since the perception of the restaurant space, dishes, and their presentation may differ significantly.” However, the Polish market is relatively “warm” for Ukrainian products, in particular because brands created in Lviv already have a certain recognition in Poland thanks to active tourism in previous years. “And we haven’t seen brands that work with ribs as thoroughly as we approach this,” Maselko emphasizes.
According to information on the !Fest website, the Rebernya chain is represented by eight restaurants in Lviv, Kyiv, Odessa and Ternopil. Holding of emotions !Fest was founded in 2007. Develops a network of creative restaurants, coffee shops and shops in Ukraine. Its owners are Andrey Khudo , Yuri Nazaruk and Dmitry Gerasimov .
Opening of a Ukrainian restaurant in Japan
The Ukrainian Embassy in Japan reported that at the end of April this year, the Little Ukraine establishment opened in the city of Beppu, Oita Prefecture (Kyushu Island). It employs relocated Ukrainians, and part of the profits from the establishment will be used for the needs of the Ukrainian community of the city, which numbers 30 people. “Thanks to the NPO Beautiful World team led by the incredible Mrs. Yana Ono and all the friends of Ukraine who made this project possible. We wish you success and look forward to trying borscht in the new restaurant,” says a note on the Facebook page.
Lviv Croissants in Slovakia
Recently, the Ukrainian chain Lviv Croissants opened its first location in Bratislava. The franchise was purchased by a Ukrainian who has lived in Slovakia for many years and has experience in the restaurant business.
Let us remind you that the Lviv Croissants brand entered the European market in the fall of 2022. The first establishment outside Ukraine opened in the Polish city of Zgorzelec. Now the chain has 11 restaurants in Poland and one in Slovakia.
Lviv Croissants is a chain that specializes in the production of a single product, so the menu at the new establishment also includes freshly baked croissants with rich and sweet fillings. However, the new establishment has unique positions that do not exist in Ukraine – those that are more in line with the tastes of the local population. Croissants are the basis of the brand, which best conveys its identity, which is why they are made in Lviv. No production was opened in Slovakia.
The establishment is located in the very center of Bratislava, on Hviezdoslav Square. Its area is 150 sq. m, has two halls with 56 seats and a summer terrace. The design project was developed by Ukrainian architects, so the interior echoes the style of all new bakeries in the chain: stylish upholstered furniture, large mirrors on the walls, living plants and bright loft-style elements. Everything so that you can have a pleasant time here with friends, loved ones or with yourself.
The conditions for franchisees in Slovakia are identical to those in Ukraine: both the lump-sum payment and royalties are the same as in Ukraine. In addition, franchisees in Europe receive the same support from the central office: competitor analysis, search for local suppliers and personnel, marketing, legal assistance, selection of equipment and interior items.
The Ukrainian office was also involved in personnel search and training. Both the administrator and the line staff always come to train at existing locations in Poland or Ukraine, after which the training process continues in the new bakery.
